Monday, November 30, 2015

Review: Fine Things for Plain Occasions

Hunter Hammersen's newest book of patterns arrived in the mail last week at just the right time - I was wanting to indulge in a little startitis, but couldn't seem to land on a pattern to cast on. Once I flipped through the book, I knew I wanted to get something on the needles, and I grabbed some yarn and started the Suitable for Use hat that very day.

I'd seen a preview of Fine Things for Plain Occasions (available here from Pantsville Press) at TNNA and knew the patterns would be great as always - I love Hunter's aesthetic; seeing the finished book just added another layer to it all. In the forward, she explains that she's been collecting vintage etiquette guides for many years now, and they are the inspiration for the patterns: each design is accompanied with an actual quote from one such guide (from which the pattern names are also derived). Each piece has a vintage flair to it, but with a modern twist, and the pattern layout has vintage flourishes which I am sure are also inspired by the same.

The patterns are especially focused on socks; they comprise 8 out of the 15 total patterns. Also included are two fingerless gloves, three neckwear/shawls, and two hats. If you're familiar with Hunter's work, you'll find the well-written patterns you are accustomed to here in this book, complete with clearly written instructions, charts, and helpful notes. Instead of specifying a specific yardage for patterns, each pattern states the size shown in the sample and the yardage used, and then gives a general yardage amount to make any of the listed sizes - perfect for destash knitting. There are tons of photos of each design (the average amount is about 3-4 for each one) so that you can see the stitch pattern and other details clearly. One other note about this book, it is available only as a hardcover, and it's a nice, thick, sturdy book to add to your library.